


All Wet

by Dreamin



Series: Fireworks [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Prompt Fill, ShieldShock - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 17:32:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14720547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: It's Steve's birthday but Darcy's the one who's surprised.





	All Wet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).



> Inspired by a prompt from afteriwake.

Darcy Lewis rolled her eyes as she read the flyer that had been shoved under her front door. _OF COURSE Captain America’s birthday is July 4 th. What else would it be? _Still, she was embarrassed that she’d never thought to ask the man who had fast become her best friend when his birthday was.

_When Jane was invited to move her lab to Avengers Tower, she insisted that Darcy come with her. Everyone made Darcy feel welcome, but Steve went out of his way to make her feel at home. He helped her move her stuff into her apartment in the tower then even helped her decorate. When she asked about local businesses, he showed her his favorite coffee shop, restaurants, and dry cleaner’s._

_What touched her most was when she was hit by a sudden wave of homesickness. Not for her parents’ house in Denver, that had never felt like home, but for the cluttered trailer she’d left behind in New Mexico. Helping Jane and Erik in any way she could, and trying not to duck each time a scientific term flew over her head, was the most fun she’d ever had, though she’d complained the whole time._

_When Steve found her moping, he insisted on taking her to Prospect Park Zoo and they spent the day having the time of their lives. The animals’ antics had them cracking up but it was seeing Steve with the children swarming to have their pictures taken with Captain America that had her heart soaring. He laughed with the kids, he talked to them on their level, and he made each of them feel special._

_It was then that Darcy realized she was falling hard and fast for this man._

She left the flyer announcing the birthday pool party on her kitchen counter, rolling her eyes again. _I’m sure Tony just wants to see all the women here in bikinis. Well, he’s gonna have to live with disappointment in my case. The real question is, what the hell do I get Steve for his birthday?_

After racking her brain for a week, she settled on a gift card to his favorite art supply store and a dozen of her Triple Chocolate Cookies, which Steve had declared to be his number one favorite the first time he tried them.

The day of the party turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. Thankfully, the roof of the tower had plenty of shade due to a veritable forest of patio umbrellas and a good breeze kept the humidity from being overpowering. The rooftop was full of the Avengers and their loved ones, rock music was blaring … and Darcy was struck by a sudden urge to turn around and go back down to her apartment. She was never comfortable at big parties and preferred to hang out with just a handful of friends.

 _Buck up,_ she told herself. _It’s Steve’s big day, you owe it to him to enjoy yourself and make him feel special._ Squaring her shoulders, Darcy put her present and card on the table with the others then went looking for the birthday boy. She found him at the grill, enjoying a beer and laughing with Sam while he cooked the burgers.

“Hi, guys,” Darcy said, smiling.

Sam grinned. “Hey, Darcy. Are your ears ringing? This guy,” he inclined his head towards Steve as he grilled, “has been talking about you nonstop.”

“Is that so?” she asked Steve, grinning.

“Ignore him,” Steve muttered. His face was faintly pink but Darcy assumed that was from too much sun. He bent to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for coming, Darce.”

Her heart did a flip when his lips touched her skin but she kept her cool. “Like I’d miss your big day. So, how old are you now? 200? 300?”

Steve, used to Darcy’s gentle ribbing, rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”

Darcy grinned cheekily. “I thought so.”

Sam’s snickering made it clear he thought so too.

Gently taking her elbow, Steve steered Darcy away from Sam, who continued to grin at them, and over to the refreshment table. “Can I get you a drink?” he asked.

“A Coke would be great,” Darcy said as she grabbed a paper plate and started filling it. She felt Steve’s eyes on her and couldn’t help a shiver. _Is he checking me out? No, no, he’s probably wondering why I’m in jeans and a tank top at a pool party instead of a swimsuit._

“Did you bring your suit?” he asked as he handed her the bottle.

“Don’t have one.” She waved a hand to indicate her figure. “It’s impossible to find a one-piece that covers me enough or a bikini top that’s supportive enough.”

Steve’s face turned bright red. “Um, right. So, no pool for you?”

“You got it, Big Guy.”

He led the way to an open table then they both sat down. Darcy kept glancing at Steve as she ate, mentally kicking herself. _He’s not sunburnt, he’s blushing. Poor guy just wanted a simple “yes” or “no” and I offended his 1940s sensibilities talking about my endless hunt for a decent swimsuit. Ugh…_

Every time Steve tried to talk to Darcy, one of the others would come over and wish him a happy birthday. Darcy didn’t think much of it ( _it’s not like we don’t talk every day_ ) until she realized that Bucky and/or Sam kept coming over repeatedly to talk to Steve about some stupid thing or other.

Steve must have noticed it too. “Excuse me, Darcy,” he said as he got up. “I need to set the record straight.”

“Um, sure.”

He shot her a grateful grin, which made her thankful she was sitting down since it made her knees week, then he went off in the direction of his buddies. As soon as he was gone, Nat came over and sat down in his chair, taking a sip of her bottled water.

Darcy eyed her warily. Natasha didn’t do small talk. If she had something to say, she got right to the point.

“Um, hi, Nat.”

“So, you and Steve,” the assassin said, smiling a bit. “I always knew he’d lose his heart again, I just didn’t think it would be to-”

“Jane’s lab monkey?” she cut in.

Nat raised an eyebrow, amused. “I was going to say a civilian.”

“Oh. Well, your intel’s faulty anyway – Steve and I are just friends.”

“Uh huh. Steve doesn’t look at his friends the way he looks at you when you don’t notice.”

 _Could Nat be right?_ Darcy shook her head. “No, you’re … you’re ‘misinterpreting the data.’” She mentally high-fived herself for using one of Jane’s phrases.

“Is that so? Whenever Steve’s not around and one of us wants to find him, we don’t bother asking Friday where he is anymore since the answer is always ‘in Ms. Lewis’ apartment.’”

Darcy suddenly felt her face get very warm. _Did somebody turn up the sun?_ “Um, we’re not doing the nasty or anything. I just like to bake and Steve’s got the biggest sweet tooth. Plus we have movie nights so he can catch up everything he’s missed.”

“Is there something wrong with dating Steve?”

“God, no. I just…” _I know I’m not his type._ She looked over and saw Steve coming back to them, scowling in annoyance. Darcy felt even warmer then quickly stood up. “I’m going to take a dip in the pool.”

“Fully clothed?” Nat asked, smiling.

“Tony always says he allows anything in the pool except birthday suits.” She kicked off her sandals and took out the plastic clip that was holding up her long hair. Just as Steve reached their table, she ran over to the pool and jumped into the deep end.

 _Not the brightest thing I ever did,_ Darcy thought later as she shivered in her chair. The water felt great while she was in the pool, but it didn’t take long for the formerly pleasant breeze to feel like an arctic chill against her skin once she got out. Without a change of clothes or even a towel, she’d had no choice but to wait for her clothes and hair to dry.

Adding to her misery, Steve had disappeared just after she’d gotten out of the pool. It was getting dark, she was still soaked, and she was seriously considering just going home when a pile of clothes was placed in front of her. Darcy looked up to see Steve giving her one of his heart-melting smiles.

“Can’t have you miserable at my party,” he explained. “Go change in the penthouse, the fireworks are about to start.”

“Thanks!” She stood and picked up the t-shirt and shorts, belatedly realizing they weren’t hers. “Um, Steve?”

He smiled sheepishly. “My place was closer. They’ll fit.” His eyes drifted to her chest then he quickly dragged them back up to her face, blushing again. “Probably.”

“Um, right.” After a quick change in the penthouse bathroom, Darcy went back to the roof and saw Steve having an intense discussion with Nat. Not wanting to interrupt, she wandered over to where Jane was patiently explaining Independence Day to Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three.

“Greetings, Darcy,” Thor said, beaming. “Jane was just telling us of how your country celebrates its liberty with colorful explosions.”

“Something like that, yeah,” Darcy said with a smile, feeling her mood lighten as it always did when she was around Jane’s fiancé.

“I quite like the grilled canines,” Volstagg said happily around a mouthful of hot dog.

Fandral groaned quietly. “Please excuse his utter lack of table manners, Lady Darcy.”

Darcy giggled. “It’s okay, I’ve seen worse. And they’re not made with real dogs, ‘hot dog’ is just what they’re called.”

The rock music abruptly stopped then Tony loudly asked for everyone’s attention. “Pepper and I would like to thank everyone for coming out to celebrate Capsicle’s 100th. I don’t want to rush things but you know old people, they go to bed early, so without further ado…” He signaled to the professionals he’d hired to provide the fireworks and the first firework shot into the sky.

Darcy jumped as strong arms wrapped around her from behind just as the firework burst into a shower of gold sparks.

“Easy,” Steve murmured in her ear.

She turned her head to look at him incredulously. “Steve, what-”

“My friends pointed out that while I’m great at battlefield strategizing, I’m terrible at something as simple as telling the woman I’m in love with how I feel.”

Darcy turned around to face him, feeling like her jaw was in the sub-basement. “You … you love me?”

“Completely, utterly, stupidly … I could go on,” he said, grinning. “And, unless those same friends are wrong, you feel the same way.”

Darcy’s cheeks hurt, she was grinning so widely. “They’re not wrong.”

Then he kissed her and Darcy knew the fireworks in the sky wouldn’t be the only ones she’d experience that night.


End file.
